Return-envelop.



J. M. HOPPNER.

RETURN ENVELOP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.14, 1910.

1,040,200. Patented 00m, 1912.

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RETURN-ENVELOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1, 1912.

Application led March 14, 1910. Serial No. 549,235.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M. HorrNER, a

,citizen of the United States, and resident of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Return-Envelope, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in return envelops and it has for one of its objects the provision of a simple and inexpensive envelop having two closure or direction flaps to be used interchangeably, one of said flaps bearing the address of one of the correspondents and the other the address of the other correspondent; the envelop being primarily desi nedfor use of railroad companies, post o ces, express companies, and other institutions or parties where a continuous correspondence is carried on between two points and the correspondence delivered back and forth by messengers or employees of institutions or the parties using the envelop.

Another object of my invention is the production of an envelop of the type mentioned for use in the mails when a reply is requested or desired by the party initially sending the envelop, and for this purpose, each of the closure or direction flaps bears an address, one the address of the party to whom the letter or other matter is originally sent, and the other the address of the party initially sending the envelop so that the same envelop can be used to inclose the reply or return information by simply reversing the position of the closure or direction flaps.

It also has for its object the provision of an envelop having a pocket open at opposite sides so that either closure or direction flap may be folded over the pocket to close the bottom of the same and the other over the first-mentioned flap, the outer flap in each instance disclosingthe `name and address of the party to whom the inclosed mattei' is to be delivered. The pocket with opposite sides open `is particularly desirable when the envelop is used by railroad companies, post offices, express companies, and other institutions or yparties communicating y with employees or representatives stationed at dify ferent points, and in such cases the envelops are preferably made of stiff material capable of withstanding considerable wear so that a single envelop may be used for a long period of time between two different points, one of the fiaps having printed thereon the name of the party at one point and the other having printed thereon the naine of the party at the other point; and when so used, it is desirable to have means for holding the flaps in place without sealing them so that the envelop can be easily opened; and with this object in view, each of the flaps has a tie-cord attached thereto near its free or outer edge and a cord-retainer in line therewith near the point where the flap is folded.

A further object of my invention is to provide means to retain the letter or other mat-l ter within the pocket of the envelop so that if through accident, the upper flap becomes untied or swung into open position, the contents of the envelop will notfall out.

Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction of the envelop hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a view of the blank from which the envelop is constructed, said blank bearing at opposite points the names and addresses of the correspondents. Fig. 2 is a view of the envelop with both closure or direction flaps unfolded, the names and addresses of the correspondents being on the reverse sides of the flaps.` Fig. 8 is a view of the envelop with one of the flaps folded over the pocket of the envelop andbearing the naine and address of the sender, the other flap being unfolded and bearing on reverse side the name of the party to whom the contents of the envelop is to be sent, the folded flap being held in position by a tie-cord which serves also to retain the contents of the pocket therein. Fig. 4 is a view of the envelop ready to send to the party noted on the outer flap. Fig. 5 is a. view of the envelop showing the other flap folded and tied in position preparatory to returning the envelop to the original sender. Fig. 6 is a view of the envelop showing the same ready to be sent to the original sender. Fig. 7 is a section taken centrally through the envelop showing the lower flap partly folded and the upper flap in unfolded position to permit of inserting a letter or other matter into the pocket.

I will now describe more fully the manner in which the envelop is formed, its usages and advantages.

The envelop is formed from a blank A having` a central rectangular portion B, end flaps C, C1 and side flaps D, D1. Before folding the flaps on the lines designated by the numerals I), b1, b2, 793, the names and addresses of the correspondents are printed or Written upon the side flaps, the printing matter on the fiaps being readable from opposite sides of the blank, as best shown in Fig. 1.

l Centrally on each side flap near the outer longitudinal marginal edge thereof, I preferably apply metallic eye Z through which is passed and fastened a tie-cord Z1 and near vthe folding line of each side flap, l apply a retainer-device Z2 which comprises tivo disks cl3, Z4 placed on opposite sides of the iiap and a metallic eye Z5 passed through the flap and both disks to secure the latter in place. The purpose of these retainerdevices will be presently described.

in forming the envelop from the blank described, the endflaps are folded on the dotted lines 722, b3, and When they are folded and overlapped, as at E, Fig. 2, they may be glued together or otherwise fastened. By the folding of the end fiaps, a pocket F is provided Which is open at opposite sides, as at f, f1 and in this pocket the letter or other matter is to be inserted. After the end flaps are folded to form the pocket F,

the side flap D1 bearing the name and address of the sender is folded along the line b1 so as to lie against the end flaps E, thereby closing one of the open sides of the pocket F, as best shown in Fig. 7. rlhe envelop is novv in condition to receive the letter or other matter to be sent Which may be inserted into the pocket F through the open side f after Which the tie-cord Z1 secured to the folded flap may be Wound around the eye Z5 and underneath the disk (Z4 of the retainingdevice Z2 on the other flap, as shown in Fig. 3; thus holding the folded flap in position and at the same time preventing accidental displacement of the letter or other matter in the pocket of the envelop. The remaining unfolded side flap may now be folded upon the side ap previously folded, thus covering the name and address of the sender and exposing the directions to Whom and Where the envelop is to be sent. Upon receipt of the envelop by the second party, he examines the contents, inserts his reply yor other information, folds up the side flaps in reverse position to that in which they Were folded when received, as shown in Figs. 5

and 6, thus covering vup his own name or title and other information connected there- With and eXposing the name of the original sender, to Whom the envelop is to be returned. rlhe upper flap in each instance is held in place by the t-ie-cord (Z1 thereof be- .ing Wound around the retainer-device (Z2 on the loWer flap.

It is to be noted that the opening in the pocket F through which the original sender inserts his letters or other matter, is closed when inserting the return matter, as the upper flap becomes the lower flap and the loWer fiap, which remains open to insert the letter or other matter in the envelop when folded, becomes the upper flap.

As the envelop shown in Figs. 1 to 7, is principally intended for private use and to serve for an indefinite period of time or until Worn or torn, it is preferablymade of stiff material, and the disadvantage of an envelop made of such material, Which renders it difficult to ascertain Whether anything has been left in the envelop When holding the same to the light, is fully overcome by leaving both sides of the pocket open so that both side flaps can be opened" and the hand thrust into and through the pocket to assure of the contents being entirely removed. In an envelop of this kind, the names or titles of the correspondents and the addresses of the same are preferably printed; but if desired such matter may be Written upon the flaps and on each of the flaps the name of the sender may also be Written or printed, as at G.

The party receiving the letter inserts his reply, folds the original upper side flap against the end flaps forming the pocket and then folds the outer side flap against the side iiapV first folded, thus covering his namer and address and exposing the name( and address of the original sender or the party to Whom the envelop is to be returned. As a matter of convenience I shall term the rside flaps D, D1 direction flaps as they bear the directionsto Whom and Where the envelop is to be delivered and also, if desired, by Whom the yenvelop is sent.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is,-

l. An envelop comprising a pocket open lat opposite sides and a flap folding along each of said open sides and either adaptedto overlap the other when folded, a tieco-rd secured to each iiap, and a retainer device on each flap to which the tie-cordof the other flap is to be connected, thereby providing means to prevent accidental removal of the contents When one of the flaps is in open position.

2. An envelop comprising a pocket open at opposite sides and a flap folding along each of said open sides and either adapted to overlap the other When folded, a tie-cord fastened to the free end of each of said iiaps,

and cord retainer devices fastened to said iiaps adjacent the open sides of said pocket, the cord of the under iiap being fastened to the retainer device of the upper flap when' the latter is in open or closed position.

3. An envelop comprising a pocket open I at opposite sides and a flap folding along each of said sides and either adapted to `overlap the other When folded, a tie cord fastened to the free end of each of said,

flaps, and cord retainer-devices fastened to said flaps adjacent the open sides of said pocket, the cord of the upper' flap being fastened to the retainer device of the under flap, and the cord of the under Hap being fastened to the retainer device of the upper whereby accidental removal of the contents is prevented when one of said flaps is in open position.

In testimony whereof, IV have affixed my 15 flap. signature in the presence of two subscribing 4. An envelop comprising a pocket open Witnesses.

at opposite sides and a fiap folded along each of said open sides and either adapted JOHN M' HOFFNER' to overlap the other when folded, and means Witnesses:

secured to each flap and adapted to engage CHARLES J. Down, the other so as to provide a double lock EMIL NEUHART.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

